At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."
Abraham Lincoln, Lyceum Address, 27 January 1838
"And they [historians] will ask the question, Why did we, scholars and writers in America, in this time, we who had been warned of our danger not only by explicit threats but by explicit action, why did we not fight this danger while the weapons we used best - the weapons of ideas and words - could still be used against it?"
Archibald Macleish, The Irresponsibles, 1940
“Against foolishness we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed – in such moments the foolish person even becomes critical – and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Prisoner for God: Letters and Papers from Prison
"Demagoguery refers to a strategy for gaining political power by appealing to the popular prejudices, emotions, fears and expectations of the public — typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalist or populist themes, usually singling out a group or groups."
Stocks moved lower again today in a volatile session with geopolitical risks weighing on the bubble momentum mentality.
Gold and silver held their recent gains better than might have been expected for a stock option expiration.
There will be a Comex precious metals futures options expiration next Wednesday.
See you on Tuesday.
Have a pleasant weekend.
